Replacing Hydraulic Surge Trailer Brakes with Electric Drum Brakes

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Question:

I have a tandem axle boat trailer that has hydraulic brakes on the back axle only. I use the boat in fresh water only and will not be taking it to saltwater locations. A number of my professional mechanic friends have recommended I switch to the Dexter self adjusting electric brakes and after a lot of reading Im ready to do it. Both axles are rated at 3500 lbs and the current brakes are 10 x 2.25. Will the 23-468 and 23-469 be the correct choice. The backing plate bolt pattern matches up. I also want the correct drums with a 5 x4.5 bolt pattern. My axles have the greese fitting in the end of the axle and I like that setup and do not want to change. I think that is the EZ-Lube drum. What else do I need? Do you have a break away actuator you would recommend for a boat trailer? Thank you.

asked by: Steven

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Expert Reply:

Dexter 10 x 2-1/4-inch electric drum brakes # 23-468 and # 23-469 are a perfect choice for your 3500-lb axle that has a 4-bolt brake flange. We see more and more boat trailer manufacturers specifying electric drum brakes as standard equipment due to their lower cost and easier installation. Electric brakes require a compatible brake controller like the Prodigy P2 # 90885.

To choose new hub/drum assemblies you'll need to know the bearings used in your existing hubs; this will ensure new hubs will fit on your spindles. The linked photo shows the typical appearance and location of bearing numbers. All of the 5-on-4-1/2 hub/drums for 3500-lb axles that we sell use inner bearing # L68149 and outer bearing # L44649 and can be seen on the linked page. If your hubs use the same bearings you can use part # AKHD-545-35-EZ-K which includes along with the hub itself the bearings, races, grease seal, grease cap, and lug nuts. This is an E-Z Lube hub that works on your E-Z Lube spindles.

For a breakaway kit you can use # 20099 from Hopkins.

You'll also need wiring to install the brakes; use # jacketed wiring. Electric brakes are not polarized so either wire can be ground or hot. I linked our page for wiring parts and also an article that covers the process of adding electric brakes to a trailer.

expert reply by: Adam R

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Answer 1

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Answer 2

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Answer 3

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Answer 4

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Answer 5

I did some checking and the hub/drum we offer that will work for you is the part #8-430-5UC3. This uses the same bearings as the 8-415 and will be an exact fit aside from the fact this is a non-ABS setup and the 8-415 came in an ABS setup and non-ABS…

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Answer 6

I've never heard of an actual third brake light connector on a camper shell to plug in on a truck and we don't carry any parts to do that. The light generally needs to be hardwired into the truck's brake light circuit. The issue with this…

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Answer 7

Choosing the right height setting for your 5th wheel hitch is a combination of a few different variables. First of all you want your towing setup to be as level as possible. With your Montana High Country 340BH level you will want to measure from the…

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Answer 8

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Answer 9

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Answer 10

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Answer 11

It could be a tow package fuse on the vehicle. Use the owners manual to find the locations of fuses/relays related to the tow package wiring to check them and replace as needed. If the issue is not a fuse or relay then you can test the vehicle side…

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Answer 12

The length of wire desired depends on your vehicle connection and your personal preference. You want enough slack for turning, but not so much for dragging as you mentioned. A little extra slack isn't a problem and not enough could lead to stress…

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Replacing Hydraulic Surge Trailer Brakes with Electric Drum Brakes

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